Personal bill denomination reader

ABSTRACT

An apparatus includes a pattern recognizer configured to identify a match of an image of a portion of a bill to one of a plurality of templates. The pattern recognizer is configured to use a rotation-invariant pattern matching algorithm. The apparatus further includes an output device to provide an indication when the match has been identified.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/776,930, filed Feb. 11, 2004, thecontents of which are expressly incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for reading adenomination of currency.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

People with low or no vision typically develop sophisticated methods toidentify the denomination of currency in their possession. These methodstypically involve folding and segmentation of bills in a unique mannerfor each denomination of currency. For example, $20 bills may be foldedin a first unique way, and $10 bills may be folded in a second uniqueway. However, when receiving a bill such as when receiving change, theaforementioned people must trust that the individual giving them thebills are correctly identifying them.

There is an existing device that reads bill denominations that usesstandard bill reading technology, much like that found in a vendingmachine, and provides an audio output. The size of the device issignificantly larger than the bill in order to scan the entire bill toread its denomination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is pointed out with particularity in the appendedclaims. However, other features are described in the following detaileddescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the personal billdenomination reader;

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the personal bill denomination readerintegrated with a mobile telephone and its operation; and

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the personal bill denomination readerhaving the form of a key fob.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

There is a need for a personal bill denomination reader that is readilyavailable for a user, and allows him/her to use the reader in a discreteand secure way while providing the freedom to use paper money duringeveryday activities.

To address this need and other needs, embodiments of a personal billdenomination reader with tactile output are disclosed herein. A specifictactile output pattern is generated for each recognized denomination ofcurrency. The tactile output provides a high measure of security andprivacy while the user “counts” his/her money, functions well in a noisyenvironment such as a restaurant, and is suitable for users who suffer ahearing impairment. The personal bill denomination reader can beintegrated with a mobile telephone or a key fob to facilitateportability with the user.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the personal billdenomination reader 10. The personal bill denomination reader 10comprises a digital camera 12 to capture an image of a bill 14. Thedigital camera 12 can capture and store the image in response to auser-initiated depression of a button 16 or another user-initiatedaction. Optionally, the reader 10 includes a light source 20 toilluminate the bill 14 to support capturing images in dimly-lit places.The light source 20 may be activated in response to the user-initiateddepression of the button 16 or another user-initiated action.

The image of the bill 14 is taken from the perspective of one of thecorners of the bill 14. In practice, the user may identify a corner ofthe bill 14 by touch, then hold the reader 10 so that the digital camera12 is proximate the corner, and press the button 16 to capture an imagefrom the perspective of the corner and activate a bill identificationfeature.

The captured image is processed by a pattern recognizer 22. The patternrecognizer 22 compares the captured image to built-in images 24 of allstandard bill denominations to match the captured image to one of thebuilt-in images 24. In the United States, the standard billdenominations may comprise $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills, forexample. Local bill denominations for other countries may be used ininternational embodiments.

Since each bill has four corners and two sides, the built-in images 24comprise at least eight built-in images per bill denomination, thebuilt-in images comprising a corresponding image of each of four cornersfor each of two sides of the bill denomination. The built-in images 24may also comprise built-in images for previous versions of the currency.For example, since modifications were made to the $20 bill in the year2003, the built-in images 24 may comprise at least eight images ofpre-2003 $20 bills, and at least eight more images of $20 bills issuedin 2003.

It is noted that the built-in images 24 may be represented within thepersonal bill denomination reader 10 either by actual images of bills ora transformation of the actual images of bills.

The pattern recognizer 22 uses a rotation-invariant pattern matchingalgorithm so that the bill 14 can be recognized for various orientationsof the bill 14 with respect to the reader 10. Built into the algorithmis pattern matching for markings on the front and back of all standardbill denominations, which include current and previous versions of thecurrency. Since the number of templates is reasonably low, the patternrecognizer 22 can identify the bill 14 nearly instantaneously.

Once a positive identification of the bill 14 has been made by thepattern recognizer 22, the reader 10 reports the denomination of thebill 14 in a mode determined by an output selector 26. The mode isselected from a tactile output mode, an audible tone mode and a speechmode. Preferably, the user can select the specific mode via a user inputreceived by the reader 10.

In the tactile output mode, a tactile output device 30 generates atactile output unique to the denomination of the bill 14 based on thematch from the pattern recognizer 22. The tactile output mode provides ahigh level of security in that other people near the user are not madeaware of the denomination of the bill 14.

In one embodiment, the tactile output device 30 is capable of vibratingin a unique pattern of time and/or frequency for each denomination.Thus, the tactile output device 30 vibrates in a pattern unique to thedenomination of the bill 14 based on the match from the patternrecognizer 22. The user feels the vibration pattern and determines thedenomination of the bill 14 based thereon.

In another embodiment, the tactile output device 30 comprises a smalldynamic Braille display to generate a Braille representation of thedenomination of the bill 14 based on the match from the patternrecognizer 22. The user touches the Braille display with his/her hand tosense the Braille representation, and interprets the Braillerepresentation to determine the denomination of the bill 14.

In a further embodiment, the tactile output device 30 comprises apressure display capable of generating a unique pressure signal for eachdenomination of the bill 14 based on the match from the patternrecognizer 22. For example, the pressure display may comprise a plasticpin or another component that rises and lowers in a unique pattern foreach denomination. In one embodiment, the plastic pin or other componentrises and lowers a humanly-countable number of times based on thedenomination. For example, the plastic pin or other component may riseonce for $1, twice slowly for $2, and twice quickly for $20.

In the audible tone mode, an audible tone generator 32 generates aseries of one or more distinctive, non-speech tones associated with thedetected denomination of the bill 14. The user hears the audible tonesand determines the denomination of the bill 14 thereon. The audible tonemode provides a degree of security in that other people near the userwould not know the denomination of the bill 14 unless they knew how totranslate the distinctive tones. The audible tone mode also facilitatesuse of the reader 10 by users who have limited tactile function.

In the speech mode, a voice synthesizer 34 generates a voice signal tospeak the denomination of the bill 14. The voice synthesizer 34 maygenerate the voice signal either by playing back a pre-recorded voicerecording or by synthesizing speech. Use of a voice recording allowsnatural intonated output but requires memory space. Use of synthesizedspeech is more unnatural, but facilitates programmability andflexibility (e.g. if the voice synthesizer 34 is to be capable ofspeaking the denomination in multiple languages). While not as secure asthe tactile and tone modes, the speech mode requires no learning on thepart of the user since the exact denomination rather than a code isgiven to the user.

The reader 10 may assume a variety of handheld forms. In one embodiment,the reader 10 is integrated with a mobile telephone. In anotherembodiment, the reader 10 has the form of a key fob. These andalternative embodiments are beneficial in that the reader 10 can fit ina pocket for carrying by the user.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the reader 10 integrated with a mobiletelephone 40, and its operation. The digital camera 12 may be providedby the mobile telephone's camera used for wireless picture messagingapplications. The tactile output device 30 may be provided by avibration alerting device of the mobile telephone 40 that serves toalert of incoming telephone calls and incoming messages. The audibletone generator 32 may be provided by the mobile telephone's audibleringer that serves to alert of incoming telephone calls and incomingmessages. The voice synthesizer 34 may comprise either pre-recordedspeech or synthesized speech of “one dollar”, “two dollars”, “fivedollars”, “ten dollars”, “twenty dollars”, “fifty dollars” and “onehundred dollars” to output on a speaker of the mobile telephone 40.Thus, in this embodiment, an individual with low/no vision is enabled todetermine the denomination of a bill using his/her wireless camera phone40.

FIG. 2 shows an image 42 of a corner of a bill 44 being acquired usingthe wireless camera phone 40. The image 42 is processed through patternrecognition to determine a pattern match based on built-in images 50,52, 54, 56, 58, 60 and 62 of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills,respectively. In the example of FIG. 2, the image 42 is matched to thebuilt-in image 62 of the $100 bill. The wireless camera phone 40 reportsthe bill denomination by an output 64 comprising either a vibrationpattern specific to a $100 bill, a tone pattern specific to a $100 bill,or synthesized speech indicating a $100 bill.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the reader 10 having the form of a key fob70. In one embodiment, the key fob 70 houses the components of thereader 10 shown in FIG. 1, namely the camera 12, the button 16, theoptional light source 20, the pattern recognizer 22, the memory 24, theoutput selector 26, and at least one of the tactile output device 30,the audible tone generator 32 and the voice synthesizer 34. The key fob70 has superior portability and cost effectiveness. A user can hold thekey fob 70 to a corner of the bill 14, press the button 16, and receivedenomination information through one of the three modes described above.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosedembodiments may be modified in numerous ways and may assume manyembodiments other than the particular forms specifically set out anddescribed herein.

The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, andnot restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all suchmodifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within thetrue spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximumextent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to bedetermined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the followingclaims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited bythe foregoing detailed description.

1. An apparatus comprising: a pattern recognizer configured to identifya match of an image of a portion of a bill to one of a plurality oftemplates, wherein the pattern recognizer is configured to use arotation-invariant pattern matching algorithm; and an output device toprovide an indication when the match has been identified.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of templates comprises aplurality of standard images or transformations of standard images. 3.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pattern recognizer is configuredto identify the match by comparing an image of a portion of the bill,but not an image of the entire bill, to at least one of the plurality oftemplates.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cellulartelephone that houses the pattern recognizer and the output device. 5.The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a key fob that houses thepattern recognizer and the output device.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a computer memory that stores one or more of theplurality of templates.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outputdevice is configured to provide an indication of a denomination of thebill when the match has been identified.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7,wherein the output device provides the indication via a user selectablemode of reporting, wherein the user selectable mode comprises at leastone of a tactile output, an audible output, and a speech output.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of templates includes animage of a corner of a bill denomination or a transformation of theimage of the corner of the bill denomination.
 10. The apparatus of claim1, further comprising a camera to capture the image of the portion ofthe bill.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lightsource, the light source configured to illuminate the portion of thebill.
 12. A method comprising: evaluating a match of a portion of a billto one of a plurality of templates by using a rotation-invariant patternmatching algorithm; and providing an indication when a match isdetected.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the indicationfurther comprises outputting the indication via a user selected mode,wherein the user selected mode comprises one or more of a tactileindicator, an audible indicator, and a speech indicator.
 14. The methodof claim 12, wherein one of the plurality of templates comprises animage of a portion of a standard bill.
 15. The method of claim 12,wherein one of the plurality of templates comprises a transformation ofan image of a portion of a standard bill.
 16. The method of claim 12,wherein the plurality of templates includes a first templatecorresponding to a first local currency denomination and a secondtemplate corresponding to a second local currency denomination.
 17. Themethod of claim 12, further comprising outputting a particular tactilepattern corresponding to a particular currency denomination.
 18. Themethod of claim 12, further comprising receiving a command to capture animage of the portion of the bill.
 19. A computer readable mediumincluding instructions executable by a processor to: evaluate a match ofa portion of a bill to one of a plurality of templates by using arotation-invariant pattern matching algorithm; and provide an indicationwhen a match is detected.
 20. The computer readable medium of claim 19,further comprising instructions executable by the processor to generatea particular output pattern associated with a corresponding currencydenomination, and to output the particular output pattern when a matchwith the corresponding currency denomination is detected.